In Honor of Anti-Racist and Anti-Fascist Dorothy Parker
The Master of Quips was an Ally to the NAACP
Cryn’s Substack
On my main Substack, I write book reviews on history and philosophy, as well as current events. I also sporadically jot down personal essays. On Gather, I write endless recipes for baking and cooking, plus anecdotes about travel + my time living in ME.
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Latest episodes
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Bi-Weekly Best Reads Round-Up
I read ‘em. So should you!
Trickle Down Corruption and the Impact on Society
A recording from Cryn Johannsen and Walter Rhein's live video
Cryn's Monthly Nomination for an Outstanding Substacker: Professor Adam Kotsko
Dr.
Tipping your Lyft Drivers, Servers, and Cleaners -- a conversation from Cryn Johannsen (plus a short chat with Lisa Joy)
A recording from Cryn Johannsen's live video
It's Time for the Democratic Party to Pull Together and Support All Candidates
A recording from Cryn Johannsen and Walter Rhein's live video
Enough is Enough: Hakeem Jeffries Needs to Go.
I’m going to keep this post short and not mince words.
It’s the Capitalism, Stupid
On November 26, 2025, I wrote a critical piece titled “A Truncated List of the Greatest (Worst) Hits: Crimes of Capitalism.” I’ve slightly resculpted that essay here because I think—or rather, know—that it is becoming more urgent by the day, as a result of climate catastrophe (just take a gander at that statistic below), that we speak about this issue and spread the word to others.
Our Current Political Economic Situation Wasn't Inevitable, But Here's How We Got Here, and Here's How We Get Out -- Melinda Cooper's Counterrevolution: Extravagance and Austerity in Public Finance
How Virginia School Public Choice Theory and Supply-Side Economics Came to Dominate the U.S. After a Series of Brutal Tax Cuts and Tax Revolts Beginning in the 1970s
Bi-Weekly Best Reads Round-Up
I read 'em. So should you!
UPDATE: ProPublica Releases Devastating Piece On the Loss of Workers in Federal Health Agencies. Terrifyingly, It Aligns with an Essay I wrote in May about How Our Food Is No Longer Safe.
I've also included food recalls across the country as of August 6th
Bi-Weekly Best Reads Round-Up
I read 'em. So should you!
Let's Take a Hard Look at Our "Heroes," How They Act Now, and Their Histories
+Parasocial Relationships Have No Place in Politics
Happy 15 Days After Juneteenth! Black Facebook Colonizes White Supremacist Facebook Group and Triumphs
One white racist user asked, "Why Are Black People in this group?"
What Will You Do When ICE Shows Up On Your Street?
It's not a matter of if they will, it's a matter of when they will...
Bi-Weekly Best Reads Round-Up
I read 'em. So should you!
ALERT: Treasury Poised to Crackdown on Millions and Millions of Student Loan Borrowers, as Stated by The One Big Beautiful Bill on July 1, 2026
The Context
A Trillionaire is an Indictment of Capitalism Itself
What is to be done?
From the Unpublished Archives of Crum Raisinpurz: Secretary of War Pete Hegseth: New Mini-Minibars To Be Installed in New F-35s
[Note: As I’ve said before, these pieces were originally going to be written under the nom de plume Crum Raisinpurz, but I’ve decided to publish them here with the hopes that they make you laugh.